Mar 18, 2021 4 min read

Considering the responses earlier this week, you would have thought people were taken by surprise by all of the losses the Steelers incurred in free agency.

It was like people didn’t know Bud Dupree, Mike Hilton, Matt Feiler and Tyson Alualu all could leave in free agency or that Vince Williams was a likely candidate to be released.

Now, maybe the shock of seeing all of that happen in a two-day period was a bit too much for some, but anyone who didn’t expect all or most of those things to happen must have been living under a rock for the past year.

Heck, the Steelers actually prepared for some of those losses as early as last year when they selected wide receiver Chase Claypool and linebacker Alex Highsmith with their first two picks in the draft. Claypool was drafted to help offset the loss of JuJu Smith-Schuster (who has yet to sign elsewhere as of this writing), while Highsmith was brought in to ease the departure of Dupree.

And the Steelers signed cornerback Cam Sutton Monday, hours before Hilton’s contract was completed with the Bengals. That shows you who they felt was the more valuable player.

Of the players they lost, only Alualu was unexpected. The Steelers had hoped to re-sign him. But he turns 34 soon. So, really, what did the Steelers lose that was unexpected?

It’s the same thing year after year. This player or that player leaves in free agency, only to be replaced by a veteran low-level free-agent signing or draft pick.

Yet, somehow, since the current brand of free agency began in the NFL in 1993, the Steelers have had only three losing seasons. They’ve been to four Super Bowls, winning two. And they’ve played in nine conference championship games.

Maybe, just maybe, their way of dealing with free agency works.

But panic away if that’s what floats your boat.

This just in, the Steelers are allowed to wait and sign players in free agency and draft some additional players.

They don’t have to line up and play a game for another six months. A lot will happen with their roster between now and then.

And, oh, by the way, the Steelers are already in line to get a third-round compensatory pick in 2022 for Dupree, a fifth-rounder for Feiler and sixth-round picks for the losses of both Hilton and Alualu.

Those will come in handy next year when the Steelers are in the market for Ben Roethlisberger’s successor.

n The Penguins have made two first-round draft picks in the past eight years and don’t have a first-round pick this year.

That’s fine when you’re winning Stanley Cups every year with a younger team. But they’re certainly not that any longer.

That’s why new general manager Ron Hextall told DKPittsburghSports.com this week that he would like to try to acquire a first-round pick somehow this year.

“That would be great,” he said. “Whether it’s realistic or not, I’m not sure. At this point, I would probably say no, but you just never know. You always get asked hypotheticals about trades, trade deadlines, summer trades and you don’t know what is going to come along.”

With Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang both soon to turn 34 and Evgeni Malkin ready to turn 35, the Penguins have to start thinking about life without those stars. Having first-round picks available would be a good way to start preparing for those days.

n Fans will be permitted in baseball parks across the country for major league games to open the season, including 20% capacity at PNC Park.

Here’s hoping that continues to trend in the right direction and we’re looking at 50% or more fans in the stadiums by the time the NFL season rolls around.

n There are realistically about six to eight teams that have a strong chance to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament this year.

My pick: Illinois.

n The high school baseball and softball seasons are now up and running. That means we should see rain in the area – and maybe even some snow – over the next several weeks.

It’s really a shame that high schools can’t hold their baseball and softball seasons during the summer. Nothing says baseball quite like huddling under a blanket watching a game in your rain gear.